If you
find this "not for profit" daily solar, space and geomagnetic weather
discussion and HF radio wave propagation forecast useful to your hamateur
and SWL radio activities feel free to drop me a line and letting me know
that

Feel
free without advanced permission to redistribute this "not for profit"daily
solar, space and geomagnetic weather discussion and HF radio wave
propagation forecast, as long as you redistribute it in its entirety
andgive me credit for it.

Please
keep in mind that this is a relatively simplified HF radio wavepropagation
forecast, so as to keep it easily understandable and applicable by the
average radio enthusiast.

Globally HF radio wave propagation conditions
are most evenly balancedduring the fall and spring equinoxes and most
diametrically opposed duringthe summer and winter
solstices.

Conditions also change daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and by
decade, as thesun rises and sets at different times and at different angles
from theecliptic, as well as by radio wave frequency. This is due to changes
in themaximum usable frequency (MUF), lowest usable frequency (LUF) and F
layercritical frequency (FoF2).

The D and E layers also come into
play through RF radio wave signalabsorption and refraction. And then there
is sporadic E (Es) radio wavepropagation that can really throw a wrench into
the gears so to speak.

Things like sporadic E (Es) radio wave propagation
and lightning stormstatic can impact HF radio wave propagation in an
unpredictable manner andmostly bad.

In 2017 officially there were
30 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of0.

Considering that solar
minimum won't occur for approximately 2 more years,+/- 1 year, observations
daily SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

In 2016 officially
there were 32 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of0. Considering that
solar minimum won't occur for approximately three moreyears, seeing daily
SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

As we move forward towards
the next solar minimum between solar cycle #24and #25 the number of days
with a 0 daily SSN will steadily increase.Eventually every day for many,
many, many months will see a 0, the big gooseegg.

In 2008 I
forecasted solar cycle 24 to be the weakest in the past 100 yearsand that
forecast verified. I also forecasted that solar cycle 25 would bevirtually
nonexistent, similar to the Dalton type solar minimum thatoccurred in the
early 1800's. It will probably be very difficult todetermine when solar
cycle 24 ended and solar cycle 25
began.

Recurrent
sunspot group #12651 (#12644) was located near N11W74 with a magnetically
simple alpha magnetic signature.

Sunspot group #12653 was located near
S09W31 with a magnetically simple alpha magnetic signature.

Sunspot
group #12654 was located near N10 E41 with a magnetically simple alpha
magnetic signature.

Unofficially there were no earth facing but as of
yet unnumbered sunspot groups.

No earth facing C class or larger
solar flares occurred.

There may have been an earth facing coronal mass
ejection (CME).

Sunspot group #12653 produced a long-duration B3 flare at
30/0012 UTC and an associated CME was observed in C2 coronagraph imagery
beginning at 30/0236 UTC. Analysis of this event is underway in order to
determine if the CME has an Earth-directed component.

9.) Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz with a
(positive number) sign,indicates a lesser chance of high latitude path
auroraabsorption/unpredictable refraction or scattering of medium frequency
RFsignals, when the Kp is above 3.

10.) A -10 or better towards a
positive number Dst index during the recoverytime after a geomagnetic storm,
as related to the equatorial ring current. Apositive number is
best.

Note! I use error prone RAW public domain data from the NOAA
SpaceEnvironment Center, other U.S. government entities and
educationalinstitutions, to produce my comprehensive HF radio wave
propagationforecast. This data is gathered and made public by the U.S.
Government usingtaxpayer $$$ (including mine).

Feel free without advanced
permission to redistribute this "not for profit"solar, space and geomagnetic
weather discussion and HF radio wave propagation forecast, as long as you
redistribute it in its entirety andgive me credit for it.

Also solar,
space and geomagnetic weather forecasting is still an inexactscience. The
forecasts are not official but for educational and hobbyrelated purposes
only and are subject to human error and acts of God,therefore no guarantee
or warranty implied.

Last but not least, we need your help! If you are a
DX blogger, or use social networks, please post an announcement on your own
blog and/or Facebook or send out a tweet. You can also forward this message to
a friend.

This should help increase our potential
audience.

We hope to hear from a lot of shortwave listeners
about our transmissions.

** CYPRUS [non].
9455, April 29 at 2157, British accented headlines, outro as `FG Radio`, as
scheduled for Sat 2145 on JBA WRMI 15770, which is duplicated on 9455 during
this hour only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** LITHUANIA [non]. 11580, Sat April 29 at 2200, `Bye, Bye,
Sitkunai` special hour has just started, for the third week in a row at this
time on unscheduled frequency --- and could continue for months (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** NETHERLANDS [non]. 6145, April 30 at 0030,
The Mighty KBC with Kim`s Radiogram beeps one hour earlier than usual as `The
Giant Jukebox` is one hour early, the entire transmission this week only shifted
on hour early starting at 2300 April 29, in order to avoid RHC which usurped the
frequency from 0100. It`s S9+10/20 at 0050 when Kraig W Krist introduces his
`Forgotten Song` this week, from a Winnipeg rock band in 1965. 0054 usual
end-of-show shoutouts by Uncle Eric, 0055 announcing next week will move to 9925
(and back to 0000-0200). Final music stops at 0100 sharp, but carrier stays on
--- or rather it`s the RHC carrier which may have been on earlier, but not
enough to be noticed vs KBC. By 0101 some JBM is audiblizing from RHC English
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** PERU. 5980, April 30 at 0050, still not even a JBA carrier detectable
from R. Chaski. Maybe it`s habitually closing earlier than 0100v now? Claudio
Galaz, Chile, was hearing it before 2400 on April 24 and 25 (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TURKEY. 9830, April 29 at 2154, VOT IS is running
vs RTTY on exactly same frequency, and line noise level, so the following
English broadcast will be useless here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1875 monitoring: confirmed April 25 at
2254, the Saturday 2230 airing on WBCQ 9330.50v-CUSB, fair-good. Also confirmed
starting after newscast at 2334 Saturday April 25 on IRN webcast, and presumably
on Challenger Radio, 846 kHz, Italy, as provided by IRRS which Alfredo Cotroneo
tells us is playing WOR at random times, but this seems to be a reliable one.
Unfortunately, the 29-minute program can`t fit into 26 minutes, but is faded out
after about 27 minutes as a YL briefly interrupts, again around 28, and then
into music rather than another newscast on the hour. Also confirmed UT Sunday
April 30 at 0329 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM as I am talking about the 250 kW (??) new
transmitter in Liberia, which is about 17 minutes in, so started circa 0312.
Next:

Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW

Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to
WSW

Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW

Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 to SSE [?
pre-empted last two weeks]

Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Tue 0030
WRMI 7730 to WNW

Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455? to WNW

Tue 2130 WRMI
15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW

Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Wed 1030 WRMI
5850 to NW, 9455? to WNW

Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE

Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v
to WSW

Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** U S A. 9330.6v-CUSB, April 29 at 2158, BS via WBCQ has varied
up more to the plus side than lately, fair-good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** ALBANIA [non]. 5850, April 28 at 2258, no signal from WRMI-12 (nor 5950, WRMI-14, both off?). 5850 does not cut on until *2301.5, joining in progress new R. Tirana relay in English. Such are the risks of being the first program on any transmission. Now I`m hearing Tirana better than I have in well over a year, before their own Shijak transmitter starting malfunxioning but still remained on air for a year.

Yet it`s far from perfect as the 5850 signal at S9+20 is not enough to overcome the S6 noise level. There is also fading, and the accent of the announcers which makes for readability of R4 at best. I make detailed log notes for this auspicious occasion, which was supposed to be yesterday but the audio file then did not come thru with modulation.

2314 announcement of the times for English on webcast, 7x [sic] via http://www.rtsh.al/radio-tirana-3

--- something I had not heard about before, in local time but here I convert to UT: 2200, 0130, 0600, 0830, 1130, 1600, 1800; and 1900 (also?) on SW 6005 [Kall, Germany; no mention yet of WRMI relay].

2315 `Albania and the European Integration Process` now switched to OM announcer, something about Croatia. 2317.5 introducing 4 songs of `Albanian Hits` first titled ``I Have You`` or something like that; #2 at 2321:20; #3 (or #4?) at 2325:30; 2327:50 quick sign-off and playing IS seven times and a fraxion until 2329:30 cut to Okeechobee-song ID.

Reception improved slightly by 2315, but unfortunately this is an all-daytime path on 5 MHz band which requires night or semi-night for best (or any) propagation. Okeechobee sunset is circa 0000 UT and edging later for a couple months more. Too bad this is not on 7 or 9 MHz band if the time must be 2300.

But it`s a start! Welcome back, Radio Tirana, to a North American audience. Now that we can hear the programming, so far it`s too heavy on ``official`` news content, i.e. government-related, but at least it`s Albanian, not bothering with world news which is available everywhere.

A complete English program schedule would be handy, but I find only one in Albanian at

https://rtsh.al/programi-radio-tirana/

(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** NORTH AMERICA. 6890-AM, April 28 at 2321, pirate music at S7-S8. Besides the line noise level, now there`s electric fence popping to S9 every few seconds. I have not visually sighted the fence in the neighborhood. Probably Unknown Name Radio Network which has been on various frequencies around here. Yes, see this thread:

** TAIWAN. 9735, April 29 at 1320, good S9 signal one of the best on band, in Japanese soon ID as ``Taiwan Hoso desu``. It`s RTI this hour, 100 kW, 45 degree beam from Paochung, also favorable for carrying way on to deep North America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TURKEY. 9830, April 28 at 2325, Turkishish music S9 with no RTTY this late, still past 2330, presumed the VOT German hour which yet again the Emirler sloppyrators have allowed to run on after English to North America finishes circa 2250. Only 9830 thing in HFCC this hour is CNR southward from Beijing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1875 monitoring: confirmed Friday April 28 at 2230 on WRMI 11580; // 5950 is JBA in noisie level; by 2258 recheck, not even a JBA carrier, off? (Anyway, this is the last week for WOR on 5950, as from May, the new relay of RAE Argentina al Mundo in Spanish will be at 2200-2300 M-F southward on 5950.) Also confirmed Friday April 28 at 2330 on WBCQ 9329.95-CUSB, fair, drifting down to 9329.90 within a minute.

Storms here Saturday morning April 29, so computer off and no check of UTwente for 1431 on HLR 7265-CUSB, which I have not been able to confirm remotely anyway for some weeks. Next:

Sat 1930v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND

Sat 2230 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Sun 0310v WA0RCR 1860-AM ND

Sun 1030 HLR 9485-CUSB to WSW

Sun 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Mon 0300v WBCQ 5130v Area 51 to WSW

Mon 0330 WRMI 9955 to SSE [? pre-empted last two weeks]

Mon 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Tue 0030 WRMI 7730 to WNW

Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 to SSE, 9455? to WNW

Tue 2130 WRMI 15770 to NE, 9455 to WNW

Tue 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

Wed 1030 WRMI 5850 to NW, 9455? to WNW

Wed 1315.5 WRMI 9955 to SSE

Wed 2100 WBCQ 7490v to WSW

Wed 2330 WBCQ 9330v-CUSB to WSW

(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1479.967, April 29 at 0537 UT, 1-kHz step bandscan with BFO finds sore-thumb off-frequency carrier here; 0610 UT ad in English with a 972-904-#### phone number, and covering ``from North Texas north to Oklahoma City``. So KBXD Dallas not with Namaste at this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. 1700, April 29 at 0541 UT, I am paying more attention to the Spanish here from KKLF Richardson (Metroplex) TX. Slogan ID as Banda Trece plus información y deportes, but plays music, in fact a rock song in English! 0546 UT another ID, then Spanish romantic song. 0553 UT after an ad, I clearly copy non-ID as ``Banda 13, música, información y deportes``. So why isn`t it ``Banda Diez y Siete``?? Where does the 13 come from? Arctic Radio Club DXers were reporting this latest slogan change over a month ago, along with a verie displaying the logo.

NRC AM Log 2016-2017 had it as `Super Estelar`, Tejano format, with an address in faraway Corpus Christi. Radio-Locator currently shows even more outdated ``Kick 1700`` name. And ``no website``. O yes, there is, as a simple search reveals: Banda Trece is a ``network`` which came to 1700 at the New Year.

http://www.banda13radionetwork.com/

``Frecuencia Deportiva con Xavier Olalde is now officially on Banda 13. After broadcasting to the local Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Francisco and Miami markets, Xavier Olalde will have his show on Banda 13 Radio. The most popular Spanish morning sports show, Frecuencia Deportiva con Xavier Olalde, will air on Banda13.net weekdays from 7-9a Central Time. Along with the show, Banda 13 Radio will have programming for more Spanish sports shows, followed by music in the afternoon online at www.banda13.net or on 1700AM in the Dallas Fort Worth region, starting late November.

Frecuencia Deportiva con Xavier Olalde

Monday-Friday 7-9a (CT)

http://banda13.net

Banda 13 Radio``

This still doesn`t explain where the 13 comes from, maybe approx. frequency of station in one of the other markets?? Various logos imply that the name applies only to this 1700 station, so the 13 may not allude to a frequency at all. Could be it`s of some sporting significance to the SS.

More about station`s history of format and ownership changes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KKLF

Not including Super Estelar, nor the original reason for the KKLF calls, to duplicate KLIF 570; and ``Banda 13`` still unexplained (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

If you
find this "not for profit" daily solar, space and geomagnetic weather
discussion and HF radio wave propagation forecast useful to your hamateur
and SWL radio activities feel free to drop me a line and letting me know
that

Feel
free without advanced permission to redistribute this "not for profit"daily
solar, space and geomagnetic weather discussion and HF radio wave
propagation forecast, as long as you redistribute it in its entirety
andgive me credit for it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The
SSB RF signal levels received are based on 100 watts and ½ wave dipole up at
40 feet for hamateur radio.

The AM signal levels on the HF shortwave
broadcast bands are based on 100,000 watts (100 kw) and a typical curtain
array
antenna.

Please
keep in mind that this is a relatively simplified HF radio wavepropagation
forecast, so as to keep it easily understandable and applicable by the
average radio enthusiast.

Globally HF radio wave propagation conditions
are most evenly balancedduring the fall and spring equinoxes and most
diametrically opposed duringthe summer and winter
solstices.

Conditions also change daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and by
decade, as thesun rises and sets at different times and at different angles
from theecliptic, as well as by radio wave frequency. This is due to changes
in themaximum usable frequency (MUF), lowest usable frequency (LUF) and F
layercritical frequency (FoF2).

The D and E layers also come into
play through RF radio wave signalabsorption and refraction. And then there
is sporadic E (Es) radio wavepropagation that can really throw a wrench into
the gears so to speak.

Things like sporadic E (Es) radio wave propagation
and lightning stormstatic can impact HF radio wave propagation in an
unpredictable manner andmostly bad.

In 2017 officially there were
30 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of0.

Considering that solar
minimum won't occur for approximately 2 more years,+/- 1 year, observations
daily SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

In 2016 officially
there were 32 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of0. Considering that
solar minimum won't occur for approximately three moreyears, seeing daily
SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

As we move forward towards
the next solar minimum between solar cycle #24and #25 the number of days
with a 0 daily SSN will steadily increase.Eventually every day for many,
many, many months will see a 0, the big gooseegg.

In 2008 I
forecasted solar cycle 24 to be the weakest in the past 100 yearsand that
forecast verified. I also forecasted that solar cycle 25 would bevirtually
nonexistent, similar to the Dalton type solar minimum thatoccurred in the
early 1800's. It will probably be very difficult todetermine when solar
cycle 24 ended and solar cycle 25
began.

9.) Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz with a
(positive number) sign,indicates a lesser chance of high latitude path
auroraabsorption/unpredictable refraction or scattering of medium frequency
RFsignals, when the Kp is above 3.

10.) A -10 or better towards a
positive number Dst index during the recoverytime after a geomagnetic storm,
as related to the equatorial ring current. Apositive number is
best.

Note! I use error prone RAW public domain data from the NOAA
SpaceEnvironment Center, other U.S. government entities and
educationalinstitutions, to produce my comprehensive HF radio wave
propagationforecast. This data is gathered and made public by the U.S.
Government usingtaxpayer $$$ (including mine).

Feel free without advanced
permission to redistribute this "not for profit"solar, space and geomagnetic
weather discussion and HF radio wave propagation forecast, as long as you
redistribute it in its entirety andgive me credit for it.

Also solar,
space and geomagnetic weather forecasting is still an inexactscience. The
forecasts are not official but for educational and hobbyrelated purposes
only and are subject to human error and acts of God,therefore no guarantee
or warranty implied.

KUWAIT
Good reception of Radio Kuwait on April 281800-2100 on 15540 KBD 250 kW /
310 deg to WeEu
Englishhttp://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/04/good-reception-of-radio-kuwait-on-april.html

SECRETLAND(non)
Reception of IRRS Radio City via SPL on April 29:0800-0900 on 9510 SCB 050
kW / 306 deg to WeEu German Sat, poor to
fairhttp://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.bg/2017/04/reception-of-irrs-radio-city-via-spl-on.html

Ofcom has today published a statement following its review of
community

radio: future licensing and technical policy:

"There are
250 Ofcom-licensed community radio stations broadcasting in locations across the
UK. These stations are small, not-for-profit services which bring a range of
benefits to their target communities, and are run with the help of
volunteers.

This statement sets out our decision to conduct a fourth
licensing round for community radio services, and how we will seek to ensure
that our processes for awarding licences are quicker and more focused than in
previous rounds.

We have also made revisions to our technical policy
in relation to the frequencies and coverage areas for these services to take
account of individual station requirements, which may
differ.

Finally, this statement sets out our position on the
prioritisation of our future community radio work."

Tomorrow(30 April 2017) is the last day broadcast for BBC TAMIL on Short Wave.
Don't missed to listen and avail the special eQSL from Ardic DX Club.1545-1600
UTC 2115-2130 ISTCLN 9900/SNG 11995/ARM 15330wSend your reports to ardicdxclub
(at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) inThose who are want the hard copy QSL, please send
the nominal postage to us.(Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India)

venerdì 28 aprile 2017

If you
find this "not for profit" daily solar, space and geomagnetic weather
discussion and HF radio wave propagation forecast useful to your hamateur
and SWL radio activities feel free to drop me a line and letting me know
that

Feel
free without advanced permission to redistribute this "not for profit"
daily
solar, space and geomagnetic weather discussion and HF radio wave
propagation forecast, as long as you redistribute it in its entirety
and
give me credit for it.

The SSB RF signal levels received
are based on 100 watts and ½ wave dipole
up at 40 feet for hamateur
radio.

The AM signal levels on the HF shortwave broadcast bands are based
on
100,000 watts (100 kw) and a typical curtain array
antenna.

Please keep in mind that this is a relatively simplified HF
radio wave
propagation forecast, so as to keep it easily understandable and
applicable
by the average radio enthusiast.

Globally HF radio wave
propagation conditions are most evenly balanced
during the fall and spring
equinoxes and most diametrically opposed during
the summer and winter
solstices.

Conditions also change daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and by
decade, as the
sun rises and sets at different times and at different angles
from the
ecliptic, as well as by radio wave frequency. This is due to changes
in the
maximum usable frequency (MUF), lowest usable frequency (LUF) and F
layer
critical frequency (FoF2).

The D and E layers also come into
play through RF radio wave signal
absorption and refraction. And then there
is sporadic E (Es) radio wave
propagation that can really throw a wrench into
the gears so to speak.

Things like sporadic E (Es) radio wave propagation
and lightning storm
static can impact HF radio wave propagation in an
unpredictable manner and
mostly bad.

Ongoing solar, space and
geomagnetic weather goings on also impact HF radio
wave propagation
conditions in a negative
manner.

In 2017 officially there were
30 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of
0.

Considering that solar
minimum won't occur for approximately 2 more years,
+/- 1 year, observations
daily SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

In 2016 officially
there were 32 days with a daily sunspot number (SSN) of
0. Considering that
solar minimum won't occur for approximately three more
years, seeing daily
SSN's of 0 occurring now is unusually early.

As we move forward towards
the next solar minimum between solar cycle #24
and #25 the number of days
with a 0 daily SSN will steadily increase.
Eventually every day for many,
many, many months will see a 0, the big goose
egg.

In 2008 I
forecasted solar cycle 24 to be the weakest in the past 100 years
and that
forecast verified. I also forecasted that solar cycle 25 would be
virtually
nonexistent, similar to the Dalton type solar minimum that
occurred in the
early 1800's. It will probably be very difficult to
determine when solar
cycle 24 ended and solar cycle 25
began.

The 24 hour period averaged vertical component (Bz) of earth's
magnetic
field was at

-2.34 nT south.

The 24 hour period
maximum and minimum disturbance storm time index (Dst)
ranged
between

-17 and -36 nT.

The 24 hour period maximum and minimum
solar wind speed ranged between

524 and 379 km/s

and was directly
connected by a high speed solar wind stream to recurrent
southern hemisphere
earth facing (CH) coronal hole #802 (#798) which had now
set around the west
limb of the
sun.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note! I use error prone RAW public domain data from the NOAA
Space
Environment Center, other U.S. government entities and
educational
institutions, to produce my comprehensive HF radio wave
propagation
forecast. This data is gathered and made public by the U.S.
Government using
taxpayer $$$ (including mine).

Feel free without advanced
permission to redistribute this "not for profit"
solar, space and geomagnetic
weather discussion and HF radio wave
propagation forecast, as long as you
redistribute it in its entirety and
give me credit for it.

Also solar,
space and geomagnetic weather forecasting is still an inexact
science. The
forecasts are not official but for educational and hobby
related purposes
only and are subject to human error and acts of God,
therefore no guarantee
or warranty implied.

Each of the average solar
and geomagnetic indices rose last week (April 20-26) over the previous seven
days.

Average daily sunspot number rose from
8.6 to 35.7, and solar flux rose from 76.5 to 81.4.

Average daily planetary A index went
from 8 to 26.4, and average daily mid-latitude A index from 6.3 to 18.4.

The day with the most geomagnetic
activity was April 22 when the planetary A index was 54. One the same date,
Alaska’s College A index (near Fairbanks) was 86.

Predicted planetary A index is 8, 5 and
5 on April 28-30, then 14, 10, 8 and 10 on May 1-4, 15 on May 5-6, 8 on May 7-8,
5 on May 9-14, 8 and 15 on May 15-16, and then into a more active period at 30,
25, 45, 50 and 30 on May 17-21. Then 20 on May 22-24, then 15, 8, 5 and 20 on
May 25-28, 10 on May 29-31, 15 on June 1-2, 8 on June 3-4, and 5 on June 5-9.

Predicted solar flux values are 79 on
April 28-29, 78 on April 30 and May 1, 77 on May 2-4, 75 on May 5-14, 80 on May
15-18, 85 on May 19-24, 80 on May 25-28 and 75 on May 29 to June 10.

OK1HH sent us this geomagnetic activity
forecast for the period April 28 til May 24, 2017.

Geomagnetic field will be:

Quiet on May 9-10, 12-13

Mostly quiet on April 30, May 7

Quiet to unsettled April 29, May 2, 4,
14, 21-24

Quiet to active on April
28, May 1, 3, 8, 11, 15-16, 19

Active
to disturbed on May (5-6,) 17-18, 20

Amplifications of the solar wind from
coronal holes are expected on April 28, May (1-5,) 6-8, (9-11,) 18-22

** ALBANIA [non]. Glenn, Thanks for putting Christian in touch re Tirana. We
have worked out the technical details. Do you think 2300 UTC on 5850 would be
good? (Jeff White, WRMI, April 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1875, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

Jeff, If you can confirm a time and start date (daily except
Sundays?), I can mention it on upcoming WOR. So that would replace the AWR Cuba
broadcast?

5850 should be good as far as here, but that early in the
summer, 7570 would reach further across the continent {and overcome storm noise
better}. I assume we are talking about Tirana`s English broadcast only (Glenn to
Jeff, via DXLD)

Well, we could start with 5850 at 2300 and then see what
becomes available. Yes, it would replace AWR Cuba at that hour. I don't know
which day we will start yet, but I will coordinate this with Christian. Maybe
May 1. Yes, English only, Monday-Saturday (Jeff White, April 26, WORLD OF RADIO
1875, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Since R. Tirana can no longer broadcast on SW
direct from Albania, glad that a relay via WRMI is being arranged, something I
have been advocating since last year (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1875, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

WRMI TO BEGIN RELAY OF RADIO TIRANA

Recently
Radio Tirana in Albania ended its broadcasts on shortwave. Radio Tirana's
programs were legendary during the years of the Cold War, when it was one of the
strongest signals on the shortwave bands. Its programming is entirely different
now in a free Albania, but the signal was quite poor in recent years, at least
in the Americas.

Now, WRMI will be relaying Radio Tirana's daily English
program Monday-Saturday at 2300 UTC on 5850 kHz to North America, beginning
today, April 27, 2017 (WRMI fb via gh, DXLD)

Great, so you can bet I am
tuned in to 5850 at 2259 UT April 27: after Biermann ID, dead air! 2305 can hear
some barely audible music fill, then fades up, a World Music song in Spanish at
2308. By 2313 mostly DA, strength S9+5 to S9+15 vs local line noise level. As I
had told Jeff, 7 MHz would be better: the BS frequencies, 7570 at S9+35, 7730
with S9+30. Still music at 2317 when I give up on 5850.

Later heard from
Jeff. He`s getting the audio files uploaded by Christian Milling who has already
aired them at 1900 UT on Shortwaveservice 6005 Kall, Germany. There is something
wrong, or incompatible, with this mp2 audio file. I download it too and altho
some modulation is showing on the Winamp meter, nothing at all can be heard. No
doubt they`ll get this corrected for subsequent broadcasts.

Bruce
Churchill in California reported: ``R Tirana via WRMI as monitored via Perseus
SDR on 4/27 in MA at 2320 was only carrier, no audio - audio appeared suddenly
at 2324 with nice signal. Heard from SDR in Edmonton AB at 2330 with S2
signal``. By :24 minutes into the broadcast, R. Tirana is normally playing
music, so not clear whether he was hearing that or some WM from Okeechobee
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MEXICO. 570, April 28 at 0455,
dominant signal here with choral NA early, stops at 0456 but no ID, so sign-off?
Nothing further heard. Loops south, so I would expect XEBJB Monterrey NL. IRCA
Mexican Log as of 2015 showed XEBJB as 24 hours, but some others going off at
0500 or 0600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** NORTH AMERICA.
6880-AM, April 27 at 2307, very poor pirate music at S9 in noise level. Next
check April 28 at 0444, still/again on with music at S9+5 vs S8 QRN level.
Presumably Unknown Name Radio Network which has been reported over a very long
timespan in

** U S A. 690, April 28 at 0454 UT, outro from a
network (?) called Radio One, then local weather from KGGF Coffeyville KS,
axually from a YL weatherperson at NewsOnSix = KOTV-45 (for a while longer),
Tulsa. I continue to lament that KGGF no longer carries Jim Bohannon at 02-05
UT, which used to be our best source, so at 0457 UT I check whether he`s still
on: KWTO 560 Springfield MO, KFEQ 680 St Joseph MO --- yes, he is. KWTO is where
he worked early in his career. I don`t find a network named Radio One in the
list on page 271 of the NRC AM Log, nor as a station group on page 276, nor as a
show on page 272.

Last week saw some unsettled conditions due to the effects of a coronal hole.
Its associated high speed solar wind stream actually hit the Earth a day earlier
than predicted, resulting in poor HF conditions during the International Marconi
Day event on Saturday, 21 April.

The planetary K-index hit six
the night before and we were left with noisy bands and poor propagation. HF
openings were predominantly to Europe, although Australia and the US were worked
by GB0CMS from Caister in Norfolk. While conditions improved slightly through
the week the K-index remained steadfastly high.

There were highlights though.
The A25UK Expedition to Botswana was worked from the UK on bands as high as 10
metres. As this is a North-South path, signals didn’t have to go through the
unsettled auroral oval.

There were a couple of sunspots
that helped push the solar flux index to more than 80, but next week NOAA
predicts the SFI will be around the mid to high 70s, with unsettled geomagnetic
conditions at times. The K-index could hit five on Bank Holiday Monday, but then
decline to three or four for the rest of the week.

We should soon start to see the
start of the sporadic E season, which may bring good short-skip opportunities on
the upper HF bands. Keep an eye on the 10 metre beacons from around 28.150 to
28.330MHz for openings.

VHF and up:

Low pressure will bring showery
rain into western Britain later in the weekend, with prospects for GHz bands
rain scatter. This will soon be replaced by a ridge of high pressure extending
south from a large high over Scandinavia. The ridge may bring the possibility of
some tropo conditions towards the east across the North Sea.

That said, the quite strong
easterly wind over southern areas may not be the best for good tropo, since it
is likely to be a dry flow and thus there may not be a good moisture contrast
between the surface and the dry air above any temperature inversion. If tropo
turns out to be not such a strong player, there are good reasons to hope for
some sporadic E as we move into the first week of May. This is usually regarded
as the start of the main sporadic E season, so the main periods to check are
late morning and late afternoon.

As we said earlier, start with
10m and then move higher in frequency as any opening develops. The openings can
eventually reach 2m.

Moon declination is high and
losses still low this weekend but declination falls and losses increase as the
week progresses.

A week today, before dawn, the
Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks, but the shower’s radiant never gets very high
above the horizon for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.